The MDC opposition party condemned the army for opening fire on protesters "for no apparent reason".

Tendai Biti, a candidate for opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has accused the ruling Zanu-PF regime of plotting to assassinate himself and Chamisa.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe said on Thursday he has been talking to opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to try to defuse tension over the Monday presidential election after violent clashes on the streets of Harare.

The riots surged up to the fence of the Rainbow Towers Hotel & and Conference Centre, where the electoral commission has been announcing results and many global election observers are staying.

ZEC said the final results of the presidential race may not be known until Saturday.

In Harare, the contrast could not be starker with November, when hundreds of thousands filled the streets, hugging soldiers and celebrating their role in ousting 94-year-old Mugabe, the only leader Zimbabwe had known since independence in 1980.

Traditional community chiefs have traditionally been close to the ZANU-PF, though a growing number have been at loggerheads with Mnangagwa's government.

A credible vote is crucial to the lifting of worldwide sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe so that its collapsed economy can recover. Final results must be released by August 4.

The observers had been invited by the ZANU-PF's leader, President Emmerson Mnangagwa as part of his "guarantee" of a "free, fair and transparent election" and their verdict on the poll was mixed.

But the dispute over the conduct of the elections and the subsequent violence has punctured the euphoria over the army's removal of longtime strongman Robert Mugabe last November and the hope that Zimbabwe might be entering a new era of democracy after decades of political repression and economic ruin.

Northern California wildfire raging into its fourth dayJul 30, 2018
The Carr Fire destroyed almost all of Keswick, a hamlet just west of Redding, which is about 250 miles north of San Francisco. Wildfires around the state have forced roughly 50,000 people from their homes, said Lynne Tolmachoff, a Cal Fire spokeswoman.

Mark Zuckerberg just lost almost $16 billion in one dayJul 28, 2018
The results spelled out disaster for its market value, despite the company heading into Wednesday with a share price of $217.50. Global DAU rates increased by 11% compared to the year-ago quarter, but they were still below what Wall Street was calling for.

Longest lunar eclipse of the century to happen FridayJul 28, 2018
As with most eclipses , conspiracy theorists believe it is a sign of the end times and is referred to as the Blood Moon prophecy. The reason we don't get eclipses every month is because the moon orbits Earth on a slightly inclined plane of five degrees.

Quintana wins stage 17 as Thomas extends Tour de France leadJul 28, 2018
Safe in the knowledge Quintana was unlikely to claw back his overnight deficit of almost four minutes, Sky let the Colombian go. I'm really happy", added Alaphilippe, who also had some kind words for teammate Philippe Gilbert. "I thought of him a lot".

Intense heat set to trigger thunderstorms in the southJul 26, 2018
The level 3 warning, one behind a national emergency, has been issued with temperatures set to be in the high 20s this week. So keep an eye on friends and family who may be at risk. "Also try to carry water with you when travelling".

Trump, Juncker announce deal pulling back from US-EU trade warJul 26, 2018
The US also plans to buy crops such as fruits and nuts, distributing them to food banks and other government nutrition programmes. He's already imposed tariffs on US$34b in Chinese imports in a separate dispute over Beijing's high-tech industrial policies.

President Trump issues stern warning to the president of IranJul 25, 2018
Iran's people want to be free from a corrupt government and also wish for closer ties with the United States, says a US senator. Fox News foreign policy analyst Kiron Skinner on President Trump's decision to pull the USA out of the Iran nuclear deal .

Gutsy Gilbert survives spectacular crash on TourJul 25, 2018
Police were said to be arresting some protesters after farmers threw hay bales across the road before the peloton's arrival. This stage was just 65km long, but featured three towering climbs between Bagneres-de-Luchon and Col de Portet.